Only problem with this vision is that the Golden State Warriors are Public Enemy Number One, one, one, one, ONE (sorry, I was overcome with Chuck Dee-itis) and the battle to ultimate glory would not be happening in the finals but in the third or final round of the NBA western conference playoffs. The accretion of anxiety toward the battle in the finals would not be there, and that’s no fun.

But yet and still. THE LAKERS AS TOP NBA FINALS CONTENDERS / CHAMPIONS once again is a great boost of ebullience to carry true Laker fans and band-wagon fans alike through the summer and end of fall to the start of 2019-2020 NBA season.

Problem number one, no arch enemy such as the Boston Celtics to take down in the finals. Obstacle number two, who’s going to be the third man? Kawhi Leonard, born and raised in Los Angeles and has fealty for the city where his dad’s life was ended tragically; there is talk of Kemba Walker, who brought an NCAA championship to the Connecticut Uconn Huskies during his tenure there (2008-2011) and has been a great 3 Point shooting asset to the Charlotte Bobcats throughout his pro career and would no doubt be the new Byron Scott or Robert Horry of a new Laker Dynasty; Kyrie Irvin, say what you want about his selfishness (a finger which was also pointed at Kobe Bryant) and his disturbance / non-affability in the locker room, but this guy has played with and WON A CHAMPIONSHIP with King James once before, and it was due to that selfishness (the life saving three pointers), not in spite of, THE CAVS WON THAT CHAMPIONSHIP in 2016!

Then of course there could be a less notable third addition that could step his game up and become a hero in the fashion of Fred Vanvleet for the Toronto Raptors.

So who’s it gonna be?

Whatever the situation, if the Lakers can’t get it done with the addition of a third man and the surrounding cast (which they just traded to acquire Davis) around the three, maybe their dynasty and dynasties period, is a thing of the past; as super teams come together in free agency for three years (Kevin Durant to the Warriors) and then disband, which yet remains to be seen with Durant and the Warriors; or super teams come together and fail: Russel Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and Paul George. Hopefully that is not a foreshadowing of the Lakers.